


OK K.O.! Adventures Rewritten Arc One: Before Canon

by OKKO_AdvRewritten



Category: OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes
Genre: F/F, first arc
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-16
Updated: 2020-10-07
Packaged: 2020-10-19 15:48:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 19,364
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20659730
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OKKO_AdvRewritten/pseuds/OKKO_AdvRewritten
Summary: Arc One: This is the story of Skylar Alder and her life in the world of OK K.O.! before the series truly began. Follow along as she learns her way around the plaza, meeting friends, foes, guides, and even some romantic interests.





	1. Split Past

**Author's Note:**

> This is an altered universe, so while the story is mostly canon, some parts are tweaked/edited for personal preference.

Skylar’s life had never been one of ease and simplicity. Ever since her birth, things had always been tense, as her parents had a rather unstable relationship. While they had shared a love for adventure and danger in their youth, when they had finally settled down to have a child, it was discovered their views in parenting were more different than fire and water. Her father, Fawkes, was a strong hero and a sailor, and wanted his daughter to follow in his footsteps on the path of good. Her mother, however, was a vicious and cunning Siren, who wanted to raise her daughter in the ways of the ocean and train her to use her powers for evil. This contrast in ideals resulted in a divorce when Skylar was only nine months, in which Fawkes left the oceans and tried to take his daughter with him. However, the resulting divorce still granted Shelley half custody, and Skylar had to return to the ocean every weekend to spend three days with her mother.

This divide proved to be Skylar’s mental downfall. While one parent raised her to love and help, the other raised her to hunt and kill. Being as young as she was, she didn’t yet know the difference between good and evil, and listened to both of her parents. She took all their lessons to heart, including the mauling and hunting lessons her mother forced her through at only three years old. Shelley brought out the worst in her daughter, and the only thing that barely kept her in check were the lessons she received from her father. Fawkes did all that he could to help her see right from wrong, hoping that it would help Skylar understand that her mother’s teachings were evil. But, in the mind of a young child, all lessons blended into habit, and the young hybrid quickly became dangerous and unstable without even realizing it.

When Skylar first started attending pre-school, things got much worse. She tried to make friends, but whenever something didn’t go her way, she’d fall back on her mother’s teachings and lash out. The other children became afraid of her, and as a result, she was never able to be close with anyone. It only grew worse when she turned five, as her Siren’s voice developed and her mother taught her how to use it. Skylar was able to command her entire class, and when stopped by the teachers, she had no idea she’d even done anything wrong, as she only wanted friends to play with. Her father did all he could to correct the problems Shelley caused, but since Skylar was still learning her mother’s ways, she kept using them.

By second grade, she became completely out of control. After being pushed too far by one student, Skylar retaliated with full force, which ended badly for the both of them. Skylar was promptly suspended, and after having the whole thing looked into, it was found her mother’s lessons were fully to blame. Shelley was forbidden from seeing her daughter again, and she swore to Fawkes that he’d regret taking Skylar away. But Fawkes never looked back on that day, and instead pushed forward to help Skylar truly understand the difference between right and wrong. He told her everything, explaining what had happened and why, though it had much more of an impact on Skylar than expected.

When she finally returned to school, she took her correction to extremes. Instead of merely toning down her aggression, she refused to be aggressive at all, no matter the situation. She no longer wanted any connection to her mother, and shut out anything and everything that she had taught her. Singing, fighting, swimming; she forced it all to the back of her mind and didn’t touch it for as long as she could. Two years went by like that, and Skylar quickly became an outcast and a target for many bullies. Her only solace came in fourth grade, when she was first introduced to theatre club and drama class. Being able to unleash her emotions into characters in a make-believe setting was beyond liberating, and in no time, Skylar had thrown her heart and soul into it. She took the theatre by storm, finally singing again and allowing her voice to be heard. Many theatre people became new friends, except for one, who had been striving for the lead spot she took. Elodie, one of the youngest in theatre alongside Skylar, gained an intense hatred for the hybrid. Skylar never wanted conflict with anyone, and Elodie was quick to take advantage of this. While she could never take lead from Skylar, she manipulated her to being her lackey, from fetching her water to carrying her books for her. Every time Skylar tried to stop, Elodie would accuse her of starting conflict, to which Skylar would fall again and do whatever she was asked.

For years, this pattern went on, only for it to stop in seventh grade. Elodie became friends with Enid, and the young ninja quickly found out and stopped Elodie’s manipulation over Skylar. She thanked Enid for her help, but found that after that, she never had the courage to even talk to her. What she did have the courage to do, though, was stand up to Elodie without causing conflict. The newly found confidence helped her performances improve tenfold, though Elodie’s hatred for her increased tenfold as well.

In eighth grade, Elodie was set to head to P.O.I.N.T. Prep, but she had one last plan before her leave. She left behind the rumour that Skylar had attacked her, which made many fans of her turn on the young hybrid. One even went so far as attacking her, and the result brought forth a new power Skylar didn’t know she had. She could manipulate water, and had done so by breaking the school’s water pipes and shielding herself in a barrier of ice. The fight was broken up, and while Skylar’s actions were deemed as self-defence, she did receive detention for destroying the walls. A month after that, Skylar decided that school was no longer for her, and dropped out to wander the Neutral Zone instead. Her father had no idea what to do about her new abilities, but ultimately respected his daughter’s wishes, attempting some homeschooling instead. But, with new powers and no sense of how to use them, Skylar felt lost, and wandered in search of some kind of answer. Months later, she found her feet had carried her to Lakewood Plaza, and it’s there that her story truly begins.


	2. Lost Soul in a Fish Bowl

It was a scorching hot day in the Neutral Zone, and Skylar was hiding under the shady branches of a tree as she waited for the bus. The young fourteen-year-old was once again spending the day wandering, as she didn’t like to hang around one specific place too long. This day, however, proved to be one she would've rather spent indoors, but she was already out of the house and didn't feel like heading back in early.

“Maybe I’ll find a mall to stop in or something.” She muttered, looking down the street for the bus. Being half Siren, overheating was a lot more serious for her than normal, but even then, she refused to take off the large, thick sweater that covered her small form. Her long hair didn’t help her situation either, but she didn’t have the heart to cut it off, and so it remained hanging down to her waist. Checking her phone for the time, she saw it was about noon now, which made her start to feel hungry. She heard the bus rolling up at that moment, and checking to make sure it was there, tucked her phone back in her sweater pocket. The bus pulled to a stop with a small hiss and the doors opened, allowing her to climb on. 

“Hello.” She said simply, tossing the needed amount of technos into the fee box before taking a seat. The bus was only occupied by three other people, though she ignored them as she sat at the very back of the bus and pulled her hood up.

_‘I’ll hop off at whatever plaza rolls up first, I guess.’_ She thought. _‘It’s too hot to spend time outside, and I need something to eat, anyways.’_ Keeping her eyes turned to stare out the window, she let the rest of the world fade away, the only sound coming through being the automated voice telling what stop was coming up.

“Next stop; Lakewood Plaza Turbo.” The bus announced. This snapped Skylar back to reality, and reaching up, she pulled the line to signal she wanted to get off. The bus rolled up to the stop within the plaza, and without even looking, Skylar got up and hopped off. The sun hit her hard and she took her hood off in response, looking up and taking in her new surroundings. The plaza was large, though it was mostly outdoors. She could pinpoint different places that provided shade, however, she knew she'd need somewhere with air conditioning if she wanted to keep from overheating.

“Okay, not the best place, but we’ll make this work.” She told herself. Choosing a nearby tree, she stationed herself under it, sheltering her from the direct sunlight once more. Now that she was somewhat safe, the young hybrid fully took in her surroundings, reading off the names of each store in her head to see where would be the best place to stay without having to socialize. 

_‘Maybe the coffee shop will have an empty seat.’_ She thought, making her way over to a small shop on one side of the plaza. She made sure to keep in the shade, as she could feel the heat building up in her sweater, and soon pushed the door to the café open. Immediately, the sound of numerous conversations flooded her ears, and she didn’t even need to look in to know the place was packed.

“Nope.” She said simply, turning on her heel and walking out. She wasn’t in the mood to talk to anyone, and she didn’t even like coffee, for that matter. She turned and made a dash for the next store, which happened to be a videos game store. She briskly entered, enjoying the feeling of the A/C, only to somehow be met with even more people and a much more crowded location.

_‘Damn, seems like everyone’s trying to beat the heat.’_ She thought, turning to leave. _‘I just need somewhere peaceful, is that too much to ask?’_ She left the store immediately afterwards and found that all the other places were either full or didn’t allow lingering customers. The heat was starting to get to her, and she felt her patience reaching its limit as she arrived at the last building; a large, empty-looking dojo.

“Okay, if this doesn’t work, I’m going home.” She decided. She ignored the heat as best she could as she walked to the door, giving it a push and finding it was open. A cool shift in temperature greeted her and she stepped inside, grateful to be out of the heat and somewhere quiet.

_‘Nobody’s even here.’_She thought happily. _‘Finally, I can have some time to myself.’_ Moving to the centre of the room, Skylar sat down cross-legged, closing her eyes and enjoying the cool air. She found meditating actually helped a lot, and so she did it often wherever she had peace and quiet. The world faded away as the hybrid calmed her mind, feeling herself steady after having to deal with people and the heat.

“Hey, can I help you?”

The voice startled Skylar back to reality, snapping up and turning abruptly to who had spoken. A strong-looking blonde woman in a blue jumpsuit now stood at the back of the dojo, looking at her with a confused expression as she held a box under one arm.

“Oh, I-uh...” Skylar stammered, “...I just needed to escape the heat. Sorry.” The woman gave her an understanding smile, and the teen could feel a welcoming and trustworthy aura coming from her. She definitely wasn’t threatening, at least for the moment, which helped Skylar to relax somewhat.

“It’s alright, hun!” The lady replied. “It is scorching out there. The name’s Carol, what’s yours?”

“Skylar.” She replied. “Would you like me to leave?”

“Nah, you’re fine.” Carol told her. “Sorry I interrupted your meditation, though. I know how annoying interruptions can be sometimes.” Skylar nodded, the smallest crack of a smile forming on her lips.

“Heh, yeah.” She managed. She remained quiet after that, and Carol quickly picked up on the fact she wasn’t one for conversation.

“I can keep quiet if you want to get back to meditating.” She offered. “I won’t disturb you.” Skylar was somewhat surprised by the offer but chose to take it, since she didn’t want to go back outside anyways. Giving a silent nod, she set herself back to meditating position, the sounds of Carol shuffling around soon drifting away into nothing. She found her thoughts wandering from songs to memories to random obscurities, however, nothing lingered for too long. Her stomach complained for food briefly, but she had become too comfortable to do anything about it. She could feel her body relaxing, and with the mix of the cool air and quiet, she was starting to drift off somewhat. After what felt like a few minutes, she heard some shuffling to her right and opened one eye to see that Carol had joined her in meditation.

_‘Hm, makes sense.’_ Skylar thought, closing her eye again. She went back to focusing on her breathing, but her mind had different plans, as it wandered to old memories and bad dreams. It always did that at some point, though despite her attempts to clear her head, they seemed awfully persistent today. Her body tensed and she furrowed her brow, focusing all she could into calming down-

** _BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!_ **

The sudden alarm caused Skylar’s eyes to snap open, her hands covering her ears as her heart pounded in her chest. She looked over to Carol in a panic, who stared back at her and could see the girl’s distress clear as day.

“Skylar! Are you alright?” She asked, getting up. Skylar nodded, still somewhat panicked, and got to her feet as the alarm stopped.

“Yeah, I just...don’t like alarms.” She replied shakily. “Why did that go off?”

“No idea.” Carol replied. “I just moved in, and it’s the first time I’ve-“ she cut off as a loud ‘CRASH’ sounded outside, catching them both off guard and making them rush up to the door to see what it was. They stared in surprise as a massive purple box now sat in the parking lot, though they became even more shocked as it fell open and revealed a red robot within.

“Haha!” The robot exclaimed. “Finally, my first mission! Time to destroy this dumb plaza!” He stuck one arm out at the bodega in front of him and shot a blast at the building, breaking one of the windows. The sound alerted pretty much everyone, who ran out of the stores to see what was going on. Skylar turned her gaze to Carol but noticed that she had also gone outside to confront the attacking bot.

“Cower in fear, Lakewood heroes!” The robot cried. “I am Darrell, and I’ll destroy you all!” Skylar felt her panic rise, and in a moment of instinct, ran out of the dojo to join everyone else. The heat blasted her as she stepped into the sun, and she made a dash for the nearest tree to keep in the shade.

“Hey, Darrell!” Carol cried, catching Darrell’s attention. “If you think you can just wreck our plaza and get away with it, you got another thing coming!” Darrell rounded on her in an instant, and Skylar watched in amazement as Carol leapt up, dodged all blasts shot at her, and struck Darrell down with a single punch. The bot was knocked back, hit a car, and proceeded to explode, which briefly worsened the heat for Skylar as she remained frozen from the whole ordeal. Other spectators cheered and applauded, and Carol replied modestly before she returned to the dojo once more. Skylar was quick to follow, already feeling the effects of the heat and running over to meet Carol at the door.

“Well, that takes care of that!” The dojo leader said, sounding satisfied. “I guess the alarm’s to let people know when villains attack.” Skylar nodded, though she found herself speechless as she stared up at Carol. She had never seen someone with such power before, and using it so heroically was truly amazing in the young hybrids’ eyes. She dreamed to be like that; to be a hero.

“That was super cool.” She said at last. “I-“

** _BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!_ **

Skylar slapped her hands over her ears again, looking around in panic as the alarm sounded once more. It went away after a few seconds, and the two heroes looked over to see another box crash into the parking lot. This time, however, the box opened to reveal numerous Darrell robots, who had been stacked and stuffed in so they’d all fit. Some of them clattered to the ground, but the second they had been released, they ran around causing twenty times more damage and chaos than the first Darrell had.

“Oh cob, that’s a lot of them.” Carol said, now sounding nervous. Skylar felt her anxiety spike, looking up at Carol with widened eyes.

“Can you take them all?” She asked. Carol glanced down at her.

“I could, but it’ll take me a while to get all of them if they’re scattered.” She said. “Can you fight in any way?” Skylar froze completely at the word ‘fight,’ shaking her head frantically on instinct. Carol quickly caught on that Skylar feared conflict, and not wanting the girl to be in any danger, came up with a plan.

“Alright, stay in the dojo then.” She said. “I’ll deal with them as quickly as I can.” Skylar nodded, not wanting to even think of arguing as she booked it back inside, grateful for both safety and cool air once more. She hadn’t even noticed she had started to overheat until she stumbled, feeling briefly lightheaded as she wound up on her knees in the middle of the dojo again. The sounds of the battle raged on outside, though some grew louder than others and only made the hybrid more anxious. The chaos caused clouds of dust and smoke to shield the parking lot from view, meaning Skylar could only see flashes of light and blurs through the glass. She ended up backing away from the door as some blasts got too close, and soon wound up pressed against the back wall. 

“Carol’s got this.” She told herself, hoping to calm her nerves. “She’ll get them all; she’s a tough hero.” Despite repeating these words to herself, she could see figures approaching the dojo, and she knew full well they weren’t Carol. A shot collided with the door and blew it open, and three Darrell robots made their way inside, armed and ready to strike.

“Looks like we got us a hideaway!” One mocked. Skylar’s panic was through the roof.

“L-Leave me alone!” She cried, her voice shaking as her knees threatened to buckle beneath her. The Darrells merely laughed.

“Hah! Not a chance!” The middle one replied, pointing his cannon at her. “We’re here to destroy this plaza and all the pesky heroes in it!” The other two Darrells pointed their cannons at her as well, and Skylar cried out in panic as they shot. Adrenaline pumped through her veins and she leapt out of the way, barely managing to dodge the blasts and upsetting the Darrells further. They kept shooting, but Skylar had no plans to stop, running from and even jumping some of their blasts.

_‘I gotta get out of here!’_ She thought frantically. Her eyes locked on the hole where the door used to be, but the Darrells were still close to it. She needed to get them away just long enough so she could escape. She ran around one side with the Darrells still shooting at her, and took that moment to distract them.

“Oh my cob, it’s the hero Chip Damage!” She cried, pointing behind them. All three of them spun around, ready to fire, but soon realized there wasn’t anyone there. By the time they turned back to face Skylar again, the teen had rushed out the broken door and into the chaos of the plaza fight.

_‘I lost them!’_ She thought, feeling pride at her plan. She could already feel the heat from the sun, but ignored it as best she could and kept running. She heard shots behind her as the Darrells pursued, and making the mistake of looking back, ended up running into another that had yet to be destroyed. She stumbled backwards as he turned to face her, and in that time, the other three had caught up with her.

“Nowhere to run now!” One of them cried. Skylar barely noticed, as by this point, her fear had practically consumed her. She shut her eyes as the Darrells aimed at her, and in one last desperate attempt, she screamed.

“Go AWAY!”

The ground shook. All action seemed to stop, and the Darrells were thrown off of their aim from the rumbling. Skylar opened her eyes to see the pavement around her crack and split, and mass amounts of water shot up from underground. It rose in a massive wave, reaching about ten feet in height before crashing down, obliterating the four Darrells that previously surrounded her. The plaza was flooded as the water didn’t stop, washing over the entire parking lot and outer area before settling down and draining through the cracks and sewers. There was a brief moment of dead silence, though it was promptly broken as many other heroes jumped on the opportunity to take out the other Darrells while they were distracted. Skylar, on the other hand, was shaking in panic.

“Oh cob, I did it again.” She muttered anxiously. “Oh cob-“

“Skylar!” Carol’s voice sounded from behind, and she spun around to see the taller hero running up to her. The hybrid’s adrenaline was still racing, and she felt herself stiffen as Carol stopped in front of her.

“I-I didn’t mean to, honest!” She cried. “It was an accident!” Carol stared at her in complete confusion, realizing only after a second that Skylar thought she was in trouble.

“Oh Skylar, it’s okay!” Carol said reassuringly. “You’re not in trouble; you did the right thing!” Skylar stared at her in surprise.

“B-But, I flooded the plaza!” She argued. “I broke the pavement, and-“

“Took out four robots with one attack!” Carol praised. “Listen, hun; I respect not wanting to fight, and I won’t force you to. But you’ve got some serious power, and with some training, you’d make a pretty great hero.” These words caused Skylar to stop, taking a moment to let them process. She considered Carol such a strong hero; if she was praising her, then perhaps she really did have what it takes.

“Wait, you mean it?” She asked in awe. “I-...oh no-“ The teen’s train of thought derailed as her adrenaline faded and heat came back into effect. After running and using her powers, she was now dangerously overheated, which was even worse on a scorching day. She started swaying almost instantly, barely keeping on her feet as her head spun. The world became hazy with Carol’s cries of concern being muffled as the hybrid finally lost her balance and everything went black.

When she came to, Skylar felt herself in a cool environment, lying back on something cushioned. She felt as if her energy had been drained, and part of her wanted to roll back over and sleep, but another part was craving water. Giving in to her need, she slowly opened her eyes and noticed she was lying on a couch in a small blue room. She turned her head to see Carol talking to a tall shirtless man nearby, but the two stopped immediately as they noticed she was awake.

“Skylar!” Carol cried, rushing up. “Are you okay?” 

“Y-Yeah, just...really thirsty.” Skylar replied, still fatigued. “I think I let myself overheat.”

“Well, wearing a sweater like that on a day like this would definitely cause that.” Carol said. “Eugene, can you get Skylar some water?” The tall man gave a single nod and made for the door, and Skylar took a moment to let the name sink in.

“Never thought a guy like him would be named Eugene.” She commented. Carol gave her a lopsided smile.

“He prefers Mr. Gar.” She said. “I still call him Eugene, though. He was out when the Darrells attacked, which is why he wasn’t around to help stop them.” Skylar nodded slowly, still tired from dehydration when Mr. Gar came back with a cold bottle of water. He popped the cap off and handed it to the hybrid, who thanked him and proceeded to down the whole thing in one go. Her body cooled down and she felt her energy return, which allowed her to sit up fully and not feel exhausted doing so.

“Oh cob, that’s so much better.” She sighed in relief. “Being dehydrated and overheated is the worst thing for a Siren.” Both Carol and Mr. Gar blinked, looking at each other before turning their gazes back to Skylar.

“You’re a Siren?” Carol asked. Skylar stared at them for a moment. 

“Oh, well, half Siren.” She replied. “I know it’s weird, since all Sirens are villains, and...yeah.” 

“Well, you’re certainly not a villain.” Mr. Gar put in. “You helped save the plaza today, kid.” Skylar kept her eyes on Mr. Gar for a moment, dropping her gaze awkwardly after.

“I honestly didn’t even mean to.” She told them. “My powers...I don’t know how to control them. I’ve always been too afraid to learn.” 

“Well, if you want, I can help you!” Carol piped up. “I don’t run a dojo for nothing, you know.” 

“Wait, really?” Skylar exclaimed. “You’d...you’d do that for me?” 

“Of course, kiddo!” Carol replied. “After all, I did tell you that with powers like that, you’d make a great hero. Might as well help you become one! So what do you say?” Skylar could hardly believe what she was hearing, and had to take a second to make sure she wasn’t in a weird hallucinogenic state.

“I...I’d love to!” She replied excitedly. “Thanks, Carol!” 

“No problem!” She replied. “The dojo’s in a bit of disrepair right now, so perhaps we’ll wait until next week to start lessons.” Skylar’s memory jumped back to when the Darrells blew the door open and nodded in agreement, feeling somewhat sheepish about the whole incident. 

“Yeah, that’s fair.” She said. “But anyways, I think I’ll be heading home...it’s been an overwhelming day.” Both Carol and Mr. Gar nodded in agreement, leading Skylar out of the bodega and back to the parking lot. The heat became prominent once more, however with the boost of cold water in her system, it was thankfully less prominent. Puddles and blast marks were still evident, along with some destroyed bits here and there. Some people were already hard at work cleaning, while others were checking to make sure everyone was alright.

“You good to get home by yourself?” Carol asked, tilting her head slightly at Skylar. The teen nodded.

“Yeah, I’ll be good.” She replied. “See you next week!” 

“Take care of yourself!” Carol called, waving goodbye as Skylar headed for the bus stop. The bus rolled up not long after, and she was quick to hop on, sit down, and stare out the window once more. She watched as the plaza slowly fell into the distance, eventually disappearing from view and leaving trees and houses in its place. Skylar took the time of the bus ride to really think over everything that had happened, and what she had gained. Not only had she found somewhere she could go, but she’d also found someone who was willing to help her control her powers. Perhaps now she wouldn’t be so afraid of herself, and could finally be the hero she’d always dreamed of being. 

“Next stop; Windbane Avenue.” The bus announced. Skylar pulled the line and got up, standing at the doors as the bus pulled to a stop. She thanked the driver and left, walking down the small neighbourhood street until she reached the little trailer house that she had come to call home. She didn’t hesitate walking up and opening the door, enjoying the cool air that met her as she entered the house.

“Hey dad, I’m home!” She called. 

“Hey, Skylar!” Her father’s voice called from the kitchen. “You’re home rather early. Everything alright?”

“Yeah, just...had an exciting day.” She replied, walking in to see him. She saw her father sitting at the table, drinking a coffee as he looked over some papers. He looked up as Skylar entered, giving her a warm, welcoming smile.

“Well, how’s about you have a seat and tell me all about it?” He said, gesturing to an empty chair. Skylar nodded and sat down, returning her father’s smile somewhat as she got comfortable.

“So, what made this day so exciting?” Her dad asked. Skylar couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Well,” she replied, “it’s a long story.”


	3. Training Days

The following week seemed to drag on for eternity, at least to Skylar. She felt both excited and nervous to finally learn how to use her powers, and still barely believed that someone as strong as Carol had offered to teach her. Fawkes was delighted that someone was willing to help out, and was quick to say yes to Carol’s offer as well. When the day finally came for Skylar’s first day, the hybrid found herself unable to eat, picking at her breakfast despite knowing she needed energy if she was going to do well in training.

“You need to eat something, sea star.” Fawkes told her. Skylar shook her head.

“My stomach’s doing flips; if I try to choke anything down, I’m worried it’ll come right back up.” She replied. “I should get going anyways, since my training will probably be starting soon.” Fawkes frowned, but understanding where she was coming from, decided not to push. He instead packed a few snacks into her bag, handing it to the young girl as she got up from the table.

“Well, take care of yourself, okay?” He advised, giving her a small smile.

“I will, dad.” Skylar reassured him, putting the bag strap over her shoulder. “I’ll be back soon, okay? I love you!”

“Love you too!” Fawkes replied, waving as Skylar headed out and closed the door behind her. The sky was partly cloudy with a slight breeze, rustling the bushes on her front lawn. She was wearing the same outfit she had last week, and since it wasn’t as hot, her hoodie wasn’t making her overheat as easily. She made her way to the bus stop at the end of her street, soon catching the bus and taking a seat at the back. Her mind was racing with questions and ideas of how her training might go, and her imagination created wild and vivid images of dramatic fights like she had seen in cartoons. She thought back to last week’s events and how similar they had been, but she deemed herself lucky for that incident. 

“Next stop; Lakewood Plaza Turbo.” The bus announced. Skylar pulled the line almost immediately after, and soon, it pulled up into Lakewood Plaza. There weren’t many people there now, and the plaza looked to be in much better repair than it had been the week prior. She still kept her head down as she hopped off the bus, hurrying over to the dojo without attracting attention. As she arrived at the door, she peered through the glass, making sure Carol was already there before she walked in.

“Hi, Mrs. Carol.” She said. “I wasn’t sure exactly when you wanted me, but-WHOA!” Skylar leapt to the side as a small blur of brown rushed her, whizzing past her ear and ricocheting off of the door. It proceeded to soar through the air, and after Carol caught it, Skylar saw it was actually a small child.

“Sorry about that!” Carol apologized. “K.O. here can get really excited when he meets new people.” Skylar stared at him for a moment, taking in the small, energetic child in Carol’s hands. He had dark brown hair held up in a bright red headband, a white t-shirt, and a pair of blue overalls on top. He wore no shoes, which the half-Siren found odd, but decided not to question.

“It’s okay.” She replied, taking her bag off her shoulder and putting it beside the door. “I didn’t realize you had a kid, though.” 

“Yeah, his usual babysitter moved to Riot City to become a top boxer.” Carol explained. “So I kinda had to bring him along. I hope that’s alright.” 

“Mommy! Put me down!” K.O. cried, squirming in his mother’s grip. Skylar tilted her head somewhat at this, and taking in how small he was, guessed he was about five years old. 

“Not until you stop bouncing off the walls!” Carol told him. “You can’t just jump at people, K.O.! You gotta walk up and say ‘hello’ to them!” 

“Oh, okay!” K.O.’s squirming calmed down immediately, and Carol slowly set him on the floor. The small child then walked right up to Skylar, smiling brightly and holding a hand out.

“Hi! I’m K.O.!” He said. Skylar smiled, and seeing that he was offering a handshake, knelt down and shook his tiny hand.

“Hey there! I’m Skylar.” She replied. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you, too!” K.O. said cheerfully. “Why are you seeing my mommy?”

“Because mommy’s gonna be helping Skylar learn how to be a hero!” Carol chimed in, walking up. Skylar quickly got to her feet again, and K.O. gained a look of excitement, keeping his eyes on the young hybrid.

“A hero?” He exclaimed. “I wanna be a hero, too!” Skylar let out an awkward chuckle, rubbing the back of her neck as she glanced sideways.

“Well, I have to learn how to use my powers first.” She admitted. “But if that goes well, then yeah, I could try being a hero.” K.O.’s excitement didn’t falter one bit, and instead, he grew even more excited.

“Hero! Hero! Hero!” He chanted, now running in circles. “I’m gonna be a hero!” Skylar and Carol exchanged looks, with Carol giving a sheepish smile as well. 

“He’s only five.” She said. “He’ll learn things in time. But anyway, let’s get started with your lesson, shall we?” Skylar perked up a little and nodded, adjusting her hoodie as she followed Carol to the centre of the dojo. K.O. followed the two, practically skipping as he walked, clearly excited to see some real training happen. Skylar looked around and saw a bucket of water on the floor in the corner, and a piece of wood set up on two cinder blocks in the centre. She checked to see if there was anything else set up, though she saw not only that the space was empty, but completely dusted and cleaned. Carol must’ve either cleaned really fast or had gotten there very early.

“Alright, so…what are we gonna be doing?” She asked, brushing her hair behind her ear as she looked up at Carol.

“Well, we’re gonna be starting with the basics.” Carol replied. “I wanna see where your power’s at, so I want you to try and break this board.” Skylar blinked, not expecting to do something like that so soon. Walking up, she eyed the board carefully, trying to think of the best way to break it without personal injury. K.O. watched her with excited eyes, and she could tell he was eager to see how she was gonna do it.

“So just…break it?” Skylar asked, looking up at Carol questioningly. “In whatever way I want?”

“Just do whatever feels right to you.” Carol replied, standing back and watching carefully. Skylar turned her gaze from her back to the board, taking a moment longer to decide her next move. 

_‘My arms aren’t strong enough, and I don’t wanna risk anything, so…legs.’_ She decided. Taking a small step back, she brought her right leg up, and with all the force she could muster, brought it down and smashed the board in half. Carol blinked in surprise, her eyes briefly going to the bucket of water to see it still and undisturbed. Skylar, on the other hand, was beyond impressed by her ability to break the board. She shook her leg out and turned back around, her expression holding pride as she noticed K.O.’s look of amazement.

“Wow!” He exclaimed. “That was amazing! You’re so strong!” The praise made Skylar’s heart swell, her gaze going to Carol as she smiled.

“Alright, what’s next?” She asked. Carol frowned slightly, walking over as K.O. padded up from behind.

“Well, actually, I want to talk to you about what I saw.” She said. “You’ve got strong legs, which is a good thing. Gives you a strong base, and keeps you grounded. But, if I’m being honest, I was hoping you’d use your water powers to break it.” Skylar flinched, the pride she felt vanishing almost instantly. She took a small step back, curling in slightly on herself as pieces of her hair hung around her face.

“They’re not good…they hurt.” She muttered. K.O.’s smile also vanished, as while he didn’t understand feelings well enough, he could tell happy from sad. Carol immediately caught the change in demeanour and reached out to put a hand on Skylar’s shoulder. The small teen looked up at her in response, a glint of confusion in her eyes.

“Skylar, your powers reflect your own feelings.” Carol explained, brushing her hair back. “If you’re in a mindset where you think they’ll hurt, then they will. But if you focus and train your mind to see all the good they can do, they will mimic that. Besides, you came here to learn how to use your powers, didn’t you? To not try and use them seems kind of silly.” Skylar blinked, staring wide-eyed at her. She had never heard her powers described that way, and it made a lot more sense on why they’d often only work if she was desperate. Taking a moment to swallow the lump in her throat, she calmed herself and smiled softly at Carol. 

“Alright, I’ll…give it a shot.” She said. “Sorry for not using it first.” 

“Oh, don’t apologize.” Carol replied, smiling back at her. “Come on, I want you to do something.” She turned her to face the bucket in the middle of the room, leading her over and sitting down. Skylar took a seat opposite to her, putting the bucket in between them. K.O. stared at the two for a moment before following and sitting beside Carol, not quite understanding what was happening but happy to participate.

“We’re gonna take this slow, okay?” Carol said. “Let’s take a moment to simply meditate so you can calm your mind.” Skylar nodded, sitting cross-legged as she closed her eyes and focused on her breathing. This was something normal to her, and despite her thoughts still bouncing around in her head, she managed to calm herself down. The world fell to silence around her, and she started to actually feel drowsy.

“Okay, then what?” She asked, mostly to keep herself awake. 

“Now, I want you to focus on the water in front of you.” Carol replied. “Imagine the bucket and the water within it. Feel it in your mind.” Skylar nodded, though slightly uncertain, and focused on the presence of the water in front of her. She could sense it in the bucket, and gained a mental image of its shape.  
“Alright, now?” She asked, her voice somewhat low as she was still focusing on the water.

“Now, make it move.” Carol said. “Nothing fancy, just try and make it move upwards.” Skylar felt her breath hitch for a moment. It seemed sudden, but at the same time, she knew Carol was smart and wouldn’t ask her to do something she couldn’t. Focusing back on the mass of water, she took a deep breath and imagined it moving upwards. Floating, stretching, growing taller and skinnier as it rose out of the bucket. Carol had opened her eyes at that point and was watching in pure awe as the water in the bucket stretched and rose, extending like a clear pillar into the air. She had never witnessed such raw power, and she looked over at Skylar to see she still appeared completely calm. K.O. was watching now too, and gasped as he saw the water rising.

“Wow!” He blurted. Skylar was startled by his outburst and ended up opening her eyes to see what was happening. When she saw the pillar of water, she gasped in surprise, ultimately losing focus and causing it to drop. The water splashed down into the bucket, spraying back up and raining over the three, as well as most of the dojo.

“Oh cob!” Skylar exclaimed. She ducked as the water fell around them, though thankfully, not much hit her. She shook it off and straightened back up, looking over at Carol and noticing that she seemed proud. K.O. was giggling and seemed like he couldn’t care less that he was half drenched.

“Well done, Skylar!” Carol praised. “That was some fancy work! And on your first try, no less!” Skylar took a moment to process these words, as she didn’t expect praise from what had happened. 

“But…I dropped it.” She said. “I wasn’t supposed to drop it, and now we’re all soaked.” Carol frowned; Skylar was beating down on herself an awful lot. The constant negativity towards her actions was a clear barricade, and she knew if she was going to help her grow stronger, she’d have to help her through it.

“Hey, it’s totally fine.” Carol told her. “Know what, how about we all take a break and grab a snack at the bodega instead?” K.O. looked excited, jumping up and down and nodding eagerly. Skylar looked at her in confusion, tilting her head as if she didn’t understand what she had just said. 

“Already?” She asked. “But we just started. Besides, my dad packed some snacks for me.” Carol nodded slowly, her eyes going over to the bag Skylar had discarded upon entering.

“Well, would you like to eat those, then?” She asked. “I did bring some snacks for K.O.”

“I want my snacks!” K.O. cut in, jumping even more. Skylar turned and smiled softly at him, remembering a time she showed that much energy. Carol chuckled at his antics, and as Skylar went to get her own snacks, she went to the back to get K.O.’s. She soon emerged with some fruits and veggies, a bottle of water, and a small plastic bag with two chocolate chip cookies in it. Skylar perked up as she saw them, looking over the snacks her dad had packed and finding some granola bars and water.

“Well, better than nothing.” She muttered, pulling them out and starting to munch on them. Carol and K.O. sat down next to her, and K.O. was quick to take a baby carrot and hold it out to her.

“Would you like one?” He asked. “My mommy always taught me to share!” Skylar stopped and looked at him for a second, swallowed the bit of granola bar she had, and smiled. 

“Sure, thank you.” She replied, taking the carrot. “Your mom has taught you well, K.O.” This comment caused K.O. to tilt his head, not sure exactly what Skylar meant.

“Didn’t your mommy teach you all this, too?” He asked. Skylar almost choked on the carrot, coughing for a moment as she cleared her throat. Carol actually looked up and realized now she had never thought about Skylar’s situation at home. The young hybrid seemed very hesitant to answer the question, but was quick to a response.

“My mom did teach me some things, but she’s definitely not as cool as your mom.” Skylar replied, choosing her words carefully. “My mom never would’ve gotten me such a cool pair of overalls and a nifty headband.” K.O. smiled from the compliments, bouncing a little as he finished an apple slice.

“Yeah, my mommy always knows the best!” He chirped. Skylar chuckled at this, glancing over at Carol and seeing a warm smile on her face.

“Yeah, she sure does.” She said softly. Carol smiled even more, happy to see Skylar wasn’t talking bad about herself for once. She glanced down at the bag of cookies, and grabbing hold of it, she opened it up. 

“Here, why don’t you have a cookie?” She offered to Skylar, taking one out of the bag and holding it up for her. “I believe you’ve earned it.” Skylar paused as she heard the words, and looked back up at Carol with the same confused expression.

“But I haven’t done all that much, and I messed up earlier-” she argued, but Carol raised a hand in signal to stop.

“That right there.” She said, pointing at her. “That kind of talk and attitude is what’s stopping you from reaching your full potential.” Skylar was surprised at her bluntness, so much so that she didn’t know what to say. K.O. looked between the two, not entirely understanding but still trying to take in what his mother was saying.

“If you keep beating down on yourself, you’ll never grow and improve.” Carol explained. “You need to learn how to praise yourself and realize that it’s okay to make mistakes, so long as you learn and move on from them.” Skylar actually had to stop and think, finding the words to be something she had never expected. The word ‘mistake’ bounced around a bit, and Skylar soon found a familiar voice echoing in the back of her mind.

_“Trying isn’t good enough! If you make a mistake, you ARE a mistake!”_

The teen shook her head, clearing the words away. Throughout her childhood, she had been told this. This mindset had been drilled into her skull, but the more she thought about it, the more she realized just how wrong it was.

“You…you’re right.” She said. “Holy corn, you’re right.” Carol smiled in response to this, seeing a change on the girl’s face already. She reached down and brushed another stray piece of hair over her shoulder, which in turn got Skylar to look up at her.

“Skylar, I might not know much about you, but I can see you’ve got a world of potential.” Carol said. “As your trainer, I want to help you tap into that potential and grow, and one day achieve whatever dreams you may have.” 

“Yeah!” K.O. piped up. Both Carol and Skylar looked down at him as he stood tall, though for his size, he was still little.

“Your powers are super cool, Skylar!” He said. “I know you’ll be a great hero! And I’ll be a great hero with you!” There was a swelling feeling in Skylar’s heart at his words, a smile growing on her face as she felt like she’d been released from some kind of shackle. They believed in her, and that seemed like just enough to start pushing. 

“Thank you, K.O.” She said, her voice soft. “And thank you, Carol. I’m so glad to have met you both.” 

“And I’m honoured to have met you.” Carol replied, smiling and giving her a pat on the shoulder. “Now, finish your snack, and we can get back to training.” Skylar nodded, scarfing down the cookie and chugging her water bottle. Carol was amazed at how fast she could eat, but said nothing on it as the three moved back to the bucket of water.

“Now, how about we try again, but this time, you keep your eyes open?” Carol suggested. Skylar nodded, now gaining a new determination, and did the same thing as before. Once again, the water climbed into the air, and Skylar felt her smile growing the higher it got. She felt proud; she was actually using her powers properly. Her heart was racing and she was barely able to sit still, and K.O. seemed to be in the same boat.

“Go Skylar go!” He cheered. Carol silently signalled for him to keep quiet, to which he nodded and sat back down. Skylar kept her focus on the water, soon making it float back down into the bucket without a single splash. She tried to make it sit still, but in this attempt, she ended up freezing the top of the bucket.

“Oh, well that happened.” Skylar muttered. “Eh, could’ve been worse.” She wasn’t upset by the outcome, and Carol was very enthusiastic about it.

“Skylar, that was incredible!” She cried. “I told you you’ve got potential!” K.O. was bouncing alongside his mother, looking at Skylar with stars in her eyes. The hybrid felt her smile grow, and she ended up getting to her feet.

“I wanna try more.” She said eagerly. “I…I wanna learn!” Carol felt her pride increase tenfold, and with a nod, the two got up and continued to train.  
As the day went on, Carol had Skylar run through various practices; breaking boards, punching dummies, and even defensive moves. Skylar worked hard throughout all of these, even taking her sweater off to prevent overheating. Once she had managed to convince herself her powers weren’t dangerous, she was able to use them in a manner she had once deemed impossible. K.O. cheered her on the entire time, and Skylar was able to get to the point of manipulating the water right out of the bucket and around her body. 

“Amazing work, Skylar!” Carol praised as the hybrid returned the water to the bucket. “You’ve already made so much progress!” Skylar gained a sheepish smile, but looked up at Carol with pride in her eyes.

“I wouldn’t have done it without you.” She replied. “As cheesy as that may sound.” Carol smiled even more, ruffling Skylar’s hair briefly.  
“Well, with how well you’re progressing, you’ll be a great hero in no time.” She told her. “I can already see your potential.” Skylar’s smile grew, and she simply nodded in response.

“I can’t wait to see you be a hero!” K.O. chimed in. “Then I can be a hero with you!” Both Carol and Skylar looked down at the small boy, who bounced on the spot next to them. Skylar chuckled again at his energy, while Carol looked up and noticed the clock on the wall.

“Oh, time for you to go.” She said. “The bus is gonna be here soon.” Skylar frowned at this, but nodded and went to gather her stuff, putting her favourite hoodie back on.

“Aww, I don’t want you to leave!” K.O. whined, running over and clinging to Skylar’s leg. “You’re so much fun!” Skylar gave him a sympathetic look, leaning down and detaching him from her leg. 

“Aw, don’t worry, buddy.” She told him. “I’ll be back next week to train some more, and you can see me then!” 

“Actually,” Carol piped up, walking over, “perhaps you can see him more often than that.” K.O. beamed at the offer, while Skylar looked confused.

“What do you mean?” She asked. 

“Well, I’ve been meaning to look for a new babysitter for K.O.” Carol explained. “And seeing how much he likes you, I’m sure you’d fit the bill!” Skylar blinked in surprise, looking down at K.O. and seeing stars in his eyes. She felt a tug in her heart, smiling once more and looking back up at Carol.

“Yeah, I could do that!” She replied. K.O. bounced in excitement once again, clearly much happier about this agreement, and Skylar’s heart swelled. She proceeded to set up contacts with Carol, said her goodbyes to the two, and went off to catch the bus. She was thankful the bus was mostly empty since she couldn’t really stop smiling or sit still. When she finally got to her stop, she jumped out of the bus and walked with a skip in her step, opening the door and finding her dad in the kitchen.

“Hey, sea star!” He called, looking up as she walked in. “How was training?”

“It was awesome, dad!” Skylar replied, showing much more excitement than her father was used to. “I learned how to use my powers and not hurt people, and got a babysitting job!” 

“That’s amazing, Skylar!” He said, returning her excited tone. “I knew you could do it! What’s this about a babysitting job, though?” Skylar was still smiling brightly as she sat down at the table, though it turned slightly sheepish at his question.

“Oh, well Carol has a son, K.O., and since her original babysitter went off to Riot City, she asked if I wanted to fill the spot.” She explained. “I said yes, and now we’ve got contacts and I’m set to go back to train next week! I’m really glad she’s helping me out this much.”

“I’m glad she’s helping you, too.” Fawkes said, turning to face her. “I’m sure with guidance like hers, you’ll be a fantastic hero in no time.” Skylar’s smile turned somewhat sheepish again, but she nodded in agreement.

“Yeah…I think so too.” She said. “Now, what’s for dinner? I’m starved!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for your patience! I really hope you enjoyed this chapter, and I'll be sure to write the next one sooner rather than later!


	4. Candle in a Stormy Night

_Ding dong!_

Skylar rang the doorbell to the small trailer home, bouncing lightly on her feet as she waited for an answer. A year had passed since she first met Carol and K.O., and in that time, she had become much closer friends with them. Along with turning fifteen, Skylar continued her training with Carol, steadily learning how to control and fight with her water powers. And, in return, Skylar helped babysit K.O. in Judy’s place, even visiting when Carol was home just to help keep him company. K.O. grew fond of Skylar’s visits and even started calling Skylar his big sis for how often she was around. 

“Skylar! Welcome back!” Carol said happily, opening the door for the young hybrid. “K.O., Skylar’s here!” There was a sudden bouncing sound, and Skylar was quickly met with a small child rushing up and leaping into her arms. 

“Hey K.O.!” Skylar said cheerfully, hugging the now six-year-old boy. K.O. had grown as well over the year, his once curly hair becoming spikier and his outfit changing from overalls to a white tank top and shorts. He liked to claim it looked more heroic, though Carol explained it was merely because he’d grown out of his overalls.

“Hey, sis!” K.O. replied in a chipper tone. “Mommy just got me a new pack of POW cards! Do you want to see them? I haven’t opened them yet, though.” 

“Of course, buddy!” Skylar replied, setting him down. “I just need to talk to Carol first, so how about you go open them and I’ll come see after, okay?” K.O. nodded quickly before running off, most likely going to fetch his POW cards. Both Carol and Skylar watched him go before Carol turned her attention to the young teen.

“He really loves having you around, y’know.” She said. “He talks about you a lot when you’re gone.” 

“Well, I’m happy to hang out with him.” Skylar replied, smiling. “He’s a good kid, and it’s been nice seeing him work so hard to try and be a hero.” 

“Well, he’s got a good role model to look up to.” Carol smiled as she gave Skylar a pat on the shoulder. “Now, what is it you wanted to tell me?” 

“O-Oh, there’s a storm that’s gonna be rolling in soon.” Skylar told her, surprised by the sudden compliment. “Figured I’d just let you know.”

“Ah! Well, thanks kiddo.” Carol replied, turning to head out. “I’ll be careful driving home. You know the routine, so I’ll leave you to it! See you later!” 

“See you later!” Skylar waved as Carol got into her car and left, and just as she disappeared from sight, a loud screech sounded from inside the house. Skylar jumped in alarm, turning on her heel and rushing back into the house in a panic.

“K.O.?!” She cried. “Are you oka-“

“I GOT YOUR POW CARD!” K.O. came rushing over as Skylar called for him, running around the house and holding up a small card. Skylar was caught completely off guard by this, watching him run until he came to a stop in front of her.

“My POW card?” She echoed, still not quite believing it. “I have a POW card?” K.O. looked up at her with an excited grin.

“Of course you do!” He exclaimed. “You’ve been helping my mommy and you’ve been protecting the plaza for a year now! Not to mention you’ve been helping babysit me!”

“Well, I love watching you, K.O.” Skylar replied with a smile, kneeling down and ruffling his hair. “You’re a good kid.” 

“Hehe! Thanks!” K.O. giggled before holding out the POW card in his hand. “Here, take a look!” Skylar’s gaze went from K.O. to the card, and as she took it, she saw her face and name were printed on it. Right next to her name, in the bottom corner of the shining card, was a bold number four.

“W-What?!” Skylar cried as she almost dropped the card. “I’m level four?! But how? Why? I-I haven’t done anything that heroic!”

“But you have!” K.O. countered. “Being a hero is about helping others, and you’ve been doing a ton of that! Mommy told me all about how you took down four robots on your first day at the plaza!”

“By accident.” Skylar added, handing the card back. “It was a moment of panic, so I’m not even sure if it really counts.”

“Well, I’m sure it did, since you’re level four!” K.O. took the card and looked at it, tapping on the front. “Wow, your strength and agility are really high, too!” Skylar had to take a moment to let things process. Level four? From what K.O. had told her, most heroes didn’t reach that level until their early twenties. It seemed crazy to her that she was already that high up. She looked back at K.O., who was still gleefully admiring the new card.

“Well, if the POW card says I’m a strong hero, I guess I am.” She said. “Besides, only the strongest of heroes should be trusted to watch such a special kid like you.” K.O. giggled in response to this, however his expression quickly changed as a rumble sounded outside. Skylar wasn’t surprised by the noise, instead glancing out the nearest window to see the dark clouds hanging overhead.

“Ah, seems the storm’s rolled in.” She said calmly. “Nothing to worry about, K.O. It’ll pass over in a few hours.” K.O. followed Skylar’s gaze and saw the clouds, his worried face relaxing as he calmed down. Thunder rumbled again as the two started playing with the POW cards, and soon the sound of rain hitting the window could be heard. It steadily grew stronger as the evening went on, with flashes of lightning mixing in every now and again. K.O. ended up distracted by the storm, which stopped their POW card game after a bit.

“Hey Skylar, do you think you’ll ever be able to control a thunderstorm?” He asked suddenly. Skylar paused, turning her gaze to him as she thought for a moment.

“I mean, maybe?” She replied hesitantly. “I can only control a bit of water right now, but-“

_ **BAM-BAM-BAM!** _

The sudden, loud knocking at the door startled the two. It was nowhere near the time that Carol would be back, and Skylar hadn’t been told about anyone else coming over.

“K.O., I need you to go to your room.” She said warily. “Just in case, okay?” K.O. looked confused for a moment, but nodded and went off to his room with his POW cards in hand. Skylar waited until he was out of sight before moving to the door, mentally preparing herself in case she had to fight. More frantic banging sounded just as Skylar grabbed the handle, but what scared her was a loud ‘THUMP’ that followed after it. It sounded like something had fallen over, to which Skylar pulled the door open and saw a body lying unconscious in front of the door.

“What the heck?!” She exclaimed, completely petrified by the sight before her. The person looked like a teenager, wearing a black turtleneck tank top with green army pants and brown boots. They were also bald, but Skylar barely took notice to it as she rushed over and knelt by the teen’s side.

“Hey! Are you okay? Can you hear me?!” She called, grabbing their shoulder and shaking it. She got no verbal response, but a shaky breath escaped their lungs, which gave away that they were still alive. Skylar felt her panic rise, and without thinking, she hooked her hands under the teens’ arms and pulled them inside. 

“Oh cob oh cob oh cob-“ she muttered frantically, barely managing to get them in the door. She set them down on the carpet, realizing both of them were drenched and moving to clear the water off. She raised her hand and the droplets rose, drying their skin and clothes off immediately. She gathered the water in a ball and stood up, going over to the door and tossing it outside before closing it behind her. As she turned her attention back to the teenager, she heard a small groan and noticed that they were starting to move slightly. Their hands twitched as their head rolled to the side, and small sparks formed on their forehead before it was suddenly on fire.

“HOLY FU-!” Skylar slapped her hands over her mouth before the curse escaped, but the volume of her voice was more than enough. The teen’s eyes flew open, sitting bolt upright in an instant with a panicked expression. The two locked eyes in a moment of silence, processing the situation before they both screamed.

“Who are you?!” The teen cried. 

“Why is your head on fire?!” Skylar shot back. 

“What do you mean?! It’s supposed to be on fire!” The teen yelled, seeming annoyed by the question. Skylar opened her mouth to speak, but the words died in her throat. 

“Wait...it is?” She asked, speaking in a normal voice. “Then why was it not on fire earlier?”

“Because I was drenched, and too much water puts it out.” They deadpanned. “Since, y’know, that’s how science works. Now who are you?”

“Uh, I’m Skylar.” She replied, somewhat embarrassed. “And who are you?”

“The name’s Sam.” She told her. “Uh, sorry for banging on your door and passing out, by the way. Your house was the closest.” Skylar paused for a moment, looking rather confused.

“Oh, this isn’t my house. I’m just the babysitter.” She explained. “Carol won’t be back for a few more hours, especially with this downpour.”

“Oh.” Sam replied. “Well, yeah, I guess that-...wait a second.” The fire-headed teen suddenly started to look herself over, patting her arms and clothes before looking at Skylar.

“How am I dry already?” She questioned. “It’s pouring out there!”

“O-Oh, I’m a water bender.” Skylar told her calmly. “I simply took the water off of both of us and tossed it outside. It wasn’t too hard.” Sam stared at her in silence, however Skylar saw the expression in her eyes change. Her gaze went from simply staring at her to the look of fear prey had when their predator found them.

“I see.” Sam spoke at last, trying to keep her voice calm. “Well...thank you. For getting me out of the rain.” Skylar felt a weight settle in her stomach at Sam’s tone, as she could tell the girl now felt trapped with someone who could easily harm or even kill her. She didn’t want to bring it up; making Sam aware that she knew how she was feeling might worsen things.

“It’s no problem, really.” She replied, smiling softly. “It’s just what heroes do; they help and protect people.” Sam’s eyes widened briefly at the word ‘heroes’ and looked at Skylar again. Her gaze still seemed fearful, but now contained confusion alongside it. It seemed she wasn’t sure what to think of her.

“Skylar, can I come out now?” K.O.’s voice suddenly piped up, and both teens looked to see K.O. standing by his bedroom door as he was peeking around it. The second he saw Sam, his eyes lit up and he rushed out, staring at her flaming head with stars in his eyes.

“WHOA! Is your hair made of fire?!” He exclaimed. He reached a hand up to touch it, however Skylar was quick to grab him and pull him back.

“Hold on there, K.O.!” She warned. “You shouldn’t just try and touch fire like that, especially when it’s on someone’s head.” 

“Yeah, you should listen to your sitter on that one, kid.” Sam agreed. K.O. gained a sheepish look, lowering his hand as he sat in Skylar’s lap.

“So, who are you?” He asked. “I’ve never seen you before.” Sam glanced at Skylar with a raised eyebrow, to which Skylar shrugged in reply.

“I’m Sam, and I just got caught in the storm.” She explained, looking back at K.O. “See, I don’t do well with water. I just got unlucky tonight.”

“Oh! Well, my name’s K.O., and you’re welcome to stay here until it stops!” He replied cheerfully. Sam suppressed a chuckle.

“You’re a perky little kid, aren’t ya?” She guessed. K.O. nodded, a bright smile on his face.

“I always like meeting new people!” He replied. “It helps me learn and prepare for when I become a great hero!” Sam’s smile faltered at the word ‘hero’ and she looked back at Skylar again.

“Seems a lot of people around here wanna be heroes, huh?” She said. Something in her tone made Skylar pause, and only after did she realize Sam was waiting for a response.

“Oh, yeah, it’s a common desire around this neighbourhood.” She replied awkwardly. There was a sudden chiming noise from another part of the house, which startled Sam and made her jump to her feet. Skylar, however, merely straightened up and turned her gaze to the nearest clock.

“Oh! Looks like it’s bedtime for you, K.O.!” She said in a chipper tone, scooping up the small boy as she got to her feet as well. 

“Aww, just a few more minutes?” K.O. whined, not wanting to leave the conversation. 

“Sorry buddy, but your mom has strict bedtime rules.” Skylar replied, turning in the direction of his bedroom. “Sam, you can just relax here while I put K.O. to bed.” Sam nodded awkwardly as Skylar left with K.O., the small boy looking back and waving at her over Skylar’s shoulder. Sam didn’t wave back, instead taking a seat on the couch and waiting for Skylar to finish. After about half an hour, the hybrid re-emerged from K.O.’s room, letting out a quiet sigh as she made her way back over to Sam.

“Sorry about that; K.O. was a lot more stubborn about going to bed this time.” Skylar explained, sitting down next to her. “But anyway, you can just stay here until the rain stops or when Carol gets back.”

“Yeah, uh-huh, and what is Carol going to think when she sees you let a complete stranger in while she was gone without telling her?” Sam questioned. Skylar’s expression changed almost instantly, panic becoming clear in her eyes as she stood up once more.

“Oh cob, what _is_ Carol going to think?!” She exclaimed. “I’ve never had to deal with someone passing out on our porch before, especially someone who could die from being out in the rain! What do I-...” her words trailed off, to which Sam raised an eyebrow in both concern and curiosity.

“You okay?” She asked.

“I’ll just tell her the truth.” Skylar replied simply. “I’ll tell her I brought you in to keep you safe, because I did.”

“And she’s not gonna be suspicious of someone who’s hair is literally made of fire?” Sam said as she gave the hybrid a deadpan look, clearly unconvinced.

“You say this, and yet she’s seen me flood an entire plaza parking lot after getting scared and decided to trust me with caring for her child.” Skylar told her calmly. “Look, Carol’s a great mother and an understanding lady. It’ll be fine.” Sam hesitated for a moment, looking over Skylar’s face before she shrugged.

“Alright, well it’s your job on the line.” She said at last. “So, what do you often do around here while you wait?”

“Usually I grab some snacks and watch a movie.” Skylar replied, pointing a thumb to the kitchen. “You hungry?” 

“Uh, sure, I could eat.” Sam replied, deciding to go with it. Skylar waved a hand for her to follow, to which Sam got up from the couch and walked with her. Skylar already knew where the snacks were kept, showing Sam the selection and letting her choose one before they both returned to the couch. After they found a movie they could agree on, they sat down and started watching in silence. After about 20 minutes, Skylar turned her gaze to Sam with confusion in her eyes.

“So...what exactly were you doing out by yourself so late?” She piped up. 

“Huh? Oh, I was...just wandering.” Sam explained. “I do it a lot.” 

“Oh, I know that feeling.” Skylar said, a tone of empathy in her voice. “I used to wander all the time before I found Lakewood Plaza. It’s how I met Carol and K.O.” Sam looked over at her briefly, reaching into the bag of chips she had grabbed and popping one into her mouth.

“Hm, well I’m not really looking for anywhere to go.” She said bluntly. Skylar shrugged, turning to look at the TV again.

“Neither was I at the time.” She told her. Silence fell again after that, the two going back to watching the movie when the front door suddenly opened. 

“Hey Skylar, I’m ba-...” Carol trailed off as she looked up and saw Sam on the couch, to which both teens started to panic.

“Carol, I can explain!” Skylar blurted, jumping to her feet. “S-She needed somewhere to hide from the rain, so I brought her in to help keep her dry!” Carol’s gaze went from Skylar to Sam, making the flame-haired teen turn away. There was a long moment of silence, which made Skylar’s worry increase tenfold. 

“You okay, kid?” Carol asked suddenly, catching both girls off-guard. Sam was frozen for a moment, having expected anything but kindness from Carol.

“Yeah, I-I’m fine.” She replied slowly. “Your, uh, babysitter helped me out.”

“Well, that’s good.” Carol said, sounding relieved. “Skylar’s great at helping people. So what’s your name?” 

“Sam.” She replied, seeming somewhat reluctant to speak. Carol was quick to catch on.

“Alright then Sam, how’s about I give you a ride home?” She offered. “I need to get Skylar home anyways, and there’s no way you’d be able to walk in this weather.” Sam studied Carol’s face carefully before she nodded, following Carol as she moved toward the door. Skylar perked up and quickly moved in front, opening the door and extending her hand out into the rain. After a moment, Sam heard the sound of droplets hitting other water and peered out to see Skylar had made a water roof from the door to the car to keep them dry.

“After you, Carol!” Skylar said with a smile, gesturing with her free hand. Carol chuckled and headed out, going to the driver’s side and popping the door open. She and Skylar both looked back at Sam, waiting patiently for her to head over to the car as well.

“Uh, you sure this is safe?” Sam asked, looking at it warily. Skylar tilted her head, a lopsided smile on her face.

“Trust me, this’ll keep you dry.” She reassured her. “Not a single drop of water will get on you.” Sam remained hesitant, stepping out slowly before finding that it was, in fact, dry. She made her way over to the car, being careful as to not get wet, and climbed in the backseat as Carol got in. Once the two were in the car, Skylar lowered the water down and made a small umbrella for herself, walking over to the passenger side door and hopping in. 

“Oh! Almost forgot!” Carol piped up as she suddenly grabbed her purse. “Here Skylar; for your troubles.” She rummaged around before pulling out a 50 techno bill, which Skylar stared at in shock.

“W-What? 50?” She stammered. “Carol, that’s twice as much, I-I can’t accept this!”

“Sure you can!” Carol replied. “Not only did you help take care of K.O., you saved someone’s life today. Just like a real hero would.” 

“Wha-...I, thank you.” Skylar managed, awestruck by the comment. She took the money and pocketed it, looking back at Sam afterwards with a small smile.

“Alright Sam,” Carol turned her attention to the other teen, “do you know how to get back to your house from here?”

“Oh yeah, I can give you directions.” Sam replied, seeming much calmer now. Carol turned the car on as Sam instructed her where to go. After about fifteen minutes, the car rolled up to a small yellow house, which still had lights on despite the late hour.

“Alright, we’re here!” Carol announced.

“Here, I can walk you to the door.” Skylar said, hopping out of the car and making a water umbrella once more. She walked over and opened the door for Sam, helping her out and making sure she was kept dry as she walked her to the door. Sam watched the hybrid the entire time, a neutral expression on her face before she sighed and turned to face her. 

“Hey, uh...Skylar?” She said slowly. “Er, thanks for...well, everything I guess. You honestly did save my life.”

“I was more than happy to help you, Sam.” Skylar replied with a smile. “And if you ever want to find a place to wander to, just remember Lakewood Pla-“

“SAM!”

Skylar was cut off as the front door was flung open and two women came rushing out. Both teens were startled by it, however Sam quickly calmed down as she realized who they were and was scooped into a hug by them. Skylar almost dropped the water umbrella, but managed to save it as she took in the two women who had joined them on the porch. One of them was a pale woman with white snakes instead of hair, while the other was a brightly coloured bird woman with wings instead of arms.

“We were so worried about you!” The bird woman cried, hugging Sam and the snake woman tightly.

“Mom, momma, I’m fine-” Sam tried to reassure them, but the both of them ended up turning their attention to Skylar instead. 

“Who’s this?” The bird asked.

“What’s your name?” The snake added. Skylar was caught off guard by their sudden questions, but was quick to respond.

“Oh, my name’s Skylar.” She told them. “I’m just helping to keep Sam dry.” She gestured up to the water umbrella, which both women stared at for a moment.

“Oh, a water bender!” The bird cheered. “A perfect protector for our little flame! Thank you so much for helping her get home!”

“It was no problem, really.” Skylar said calmly. “I’m happy to help, Mrs...uh-“

“Oh! I’m Aubrey!” She chirped. “And this is my wife, Sylvia!” Skylar blinked at the word ‘wife,’ having to take a minute to process it before she smiled and nodded.

“Well, I’m happy to help, Mrs. Sylvia and Aubrey.” She said, bowing her head slightly. “Now, I really should get going, my dad will get worried if I’m home late. But before I go,” she turned her attention to Sam, giving a kind smile, “if you’re ever looking for somewhere to wander, try stopping by Lakewood Plaza Turbo.” Sam looked at her for a long moment, almost as if she was processing the words. Her expression was almost unreadable, but Skylar saw a gleam of curiosity in the teen’s eyes.

“...I’ll keep that in mind.” She said at last. Skylar gave her a nod and let the three of them go inside before walking back to the car with her water umbrella. She climbed back in the passenger seat and closed the door, letting the water fall once she was safe and dry.

“Ready to go, kiddo?” Carol asked. Skylar didn’t respond, instead staring at the front door with a puzzled expression.

“Skylar? You okay?” Carol asked in concern. Skylar snapped back to reality as she said this, turning her attention from the house to Carol. 

“Oh, yeah.” She said, still seeming dazed. “I just...I didn’t realize families could even _have_ two happy parents.” Carol’s face changed instantly, her heart dropping at the girl’s tone. 

“Hey, it’s okay.” Carol tried to comfort her, putting a hand on her shoulder. “Sometimes families work, but some sadly fall apart. What’s important is that those who are in your life give you the love and support you need.” Skylar nodded slowly, letting the words sink in as she watched the rain fall.

“Like you and K.O.” She said after a minute. “You two have given me a lot of love and support, and have even helped train me to be a hero.” 

“Exactly!” Carol encouraged, smiling. “You’re always welcome at our home, Skylar. K.O. practically sees you as his big sister anyways!” A soft smile appeared on Skylar’s face at Carol’s words, feeling a warm sensation stir in her heart. 

“Thank you, Carol.” She said gratefully. “That...that really means a lot to me.” 

“Of course, kiddo.” Carol replied, ruffling Skylar’s hair slightly. “Now, let’s get you home before your dad gets too worried.” Skylar chuckled at the mention of her father, nodding in agreement as she buckled in.

“Alright, let’s go home.”


	5. Hew Hires, Old Memories (Part One)

Skylar hopped off the bus as it came to a stop, thanking the driver before heading over to the dojo for her training. She took a breath of the fresh air as she made her way down the path, a small skip in her step as she walked. It had been a few weeks since the babysitting incident with Sam, and since then, Skylar had meant to visit the plaza to unwind and train some more. As she reached the doors to the dojo, she grabbed the handle and pulled it open, feeling the cool air from inside wash over her.

“Carol! I’m here!” She called, walking in. She watched as Carol came out from the back, two small rolls of wrappings in her hands.

“Heya, kiddo!” She said happily. “You’re just in time! And I see you’ve dressed for the day!” Skylar smiled as she looked over her own outfit, adjusting one of her shoulder straps. Instead of her usual deep blue hoodie and jean shorts, she wore a teal tank top and black sport shorts that were both breathable and much easier to move in. Her long hair was tied back into a high ponytail, which helped to keep it off her neck, and her old gym bag was held in her hand.

“Yeah, figured it’s about time that I try something new.” She said, setting the bag off to the side. “Speaking of new, where’s K.O.? He’s usually here.”

“Oh, he started school this week.” Carol explained. “He was real excited about it, too. Never seen a kid look so happy walking into a classroom.” Skylar chuckled, thinking back to how she was when her dad first took her to school.

“Yeah, I know I definitely wasn’t happy on my first day.” She admitted. “But anyways, what’s the game plan?” 

“Well, we’re gonna test your physical fighting skills!” Carol announced, holding up the wrappings. Skylar raised an eyebrow.

“Wait, why?” She asked. “I’ve got my powers, and they haven’t failed me yet.” 

“Your waterbending skills might be strong, but a true hero needs to be well-rounded.” Carol instructed. “Your physical skills need some work; especially your stamina. I’ve noticed how quickly you tire out.” Skylar gained a sheepish look, rubbing the back of her neck. 

“Alright, you got me there.” She admitted, holding her hands out as Carol took the fabric and started wrapping them. It felt weird on her hands, but she said nothing until Carol was finished, flexing and clenching her hands to make sure the wrappings didn’t hurt or anything.

“Alright, I’m think I’m ready.” She said, looking back up at Carol. “Where should we-“ she cut off as the older woman suddenly threw a punch at her. Skylar yelped and barely dodged it, almost losing her footing from the sudden attack.

“Come on, Skylar!” Carol called. “Show me what you’ve got!” Skylar steadied herself, balling her hands into fists as Carol came at her again. Another punch, this time aimed for her chest. Skylar side-stepped it and threw a punch of her own, her fist slamming into Carol’s shoulder. The older woman barely flinched as she whipped around, bringing her leg up in a kick. Skylar’s instincts took over as she suddenly leapt up, landing on top of Carol’s leg and pushing off into a flip. The weight threw Carol’s balance for a moment, giving Skylar time to recover as she almost fell on her landing. 

“That’s more like it!” Carol said proudly. “Come on, hit me again!” Skylar huffed and went back in to attack, launching a punch that was easily dodged. Carol snagged her arm and pulled, bringing Skylar closer as she threw another punch. The hybrid barely managed to avoid it, feeling the rush of it go by her ear. With so little space between them, Skylar quickly brought her knee up, feeling it hit Carol’s stomach and forcing her to let go. This allowed Skylar to whirl around, grabbing Carol’s arm and pinning it harshly behind her back. She held her there and brought one leg up, pushing down and forcing the older hero to her knees. After a few seconds, Skylar let her go, allowing Carol to get back up again.

“Nice job, Skylar!” Carol praised, seeming unhurt despite the fight. “Good thinking on using speed over strength!” Skylar huffed, slightly out of breath, but smiled proudly at the praise. 

“Thanks Carol.” She managed. “Though, honestly, it was kind of obvious you were going easy on me.” Carol chuckled, shaking her head before looking back at the teen.

“Skylar, if I went hard on you, you’d be on the ground in an instant.” She said. “I’ll let you fight me head-on one day, but that’s not today.” Skylar took a breath, nodding as she straightened up and prepared for another fight. This time, Carol made sure she was harder to take down, which resulted in the fight lasting longer than Skylar could hold out for. Carol managed to get her down after a few minutes, noticing the hybrid’s fatigue and letting her up.

“Alright, how’s about you take a break and get some water?” Carol suggested, pointing to Skylar’s bag. “Looks like you need a drink.” Skylar nodded and headed for her gym bag, opening it and looking through the contents. She rummaged for a bit before she sat back, letting out an annoyed sigh as she ran a hand through her bangs.

“I left my food at home.” She told Carol. “Mind if I pop over to the bodega and pick something up?” 

“Go for it!” Carol replied. “Just don’t take too long, okay?” Skylar gave her a thumbs up and left the dojo, walking across and over to the bodega. She had only been to the bodega once, despite her frequent visits to the plaza, which left her wondering if anything had changed since she’d first seen it. As she approached the doors, they opened with a soft ‘ding’ and Skylar was greeted by what looked like your average convenience store. The only difference was the shelves didn’t only contain snacks, but also power-ups and various weapons that seemed pretty low quality.

“Hi, welcome to Gar’s Bodega!” A voice caught the hybrid’s attention, causing her to look up. Standing behind the cash register was a girl about her age, and the instant Skylar saw her, it felt like her heart exploded. She had tan brown skin and long purple hair that was also tied back in a ponytail. She wore a blue crop top with black shorts, and her shoulders were wrapped in what looked like white gauze. She was looking at her with a warm smile, and something about it reminded the hybrid of a girl she had long forgotten.

“Oh! Uh, h-hi!” Skylar stammered, caught off guard by her own voice. The girl gave her a confused look, to which Skylar panicked and darted into one of the nearby aisles. 

_‘What the heck was that?!’_ She thought frantically. Her face felt like it was on fire, her heart pounding in her ears as she struggled to stand. She leaned against the shelves and took a deep breath, hoping to regain her composure before anyone saw her. After a few deep breaths, she managed to slow her heart down, which in turn helped cool her face. Just as she straightened up, however, she heard loud yelling and jumped in surprise.

“NO WHEEL POLISH?!” A voice shrieked. Skylar peered around the end of the aisle to see a small skateboard man running around in frustration in front of the register. The cashier girl looked like she was ready to snap, but somehow managed a smile as the man threw his tantrum.

“Is there a problem here?” A loud voice called. Both Skylar and the cashier turned to see Mr. Gar looking over from another aisle, and he did not look happy.

“M-Mr. Gar!” The cashier stammered. Mr. Gar didn’t respond, instead stepping out from behind the aisle shelf with an angry growl. Skylar watched as he approached the counter, staying put where she was to avoid being seen. The skateboard man looked really angry, while the cashier girl was glancing nervously between him and her boss.

“You bet there’s a problem, lumps-a-lot!” The skateboard yelled. “I’ve been trying to locate the wheel polish, and your register weasel here is acting like a real snotty-caroni and cheese!” He pointed a thumb back at the cashier, who looked as innocent as ever and gave a small wave. Skylar felt annoyance bubble up inside of her at the man’s attitude, still watching from afar.

“Then she says you’re out of wheel polish!” The skateboard continued to rant. “But I am a customer! And the customer gets what he wants!” There was a long pause as Mr. Gar stared down at him, and Skylar was almost certain he was about to pummel the skateboard to dust. But, much to her surprise, he didn’t.

“Thank you for your feedback.” He said at last. Skylar’s jaw dropped as he put a hand on the skateboard’s shoulder and walked him back over to the register. The girl was still standing there, practically shaking in fear as she looked up at her boss.

“M-Mr. Gar, I-“ The cashier tried, but Mr. Gar cut her off.

“Enid, I’m gonna teach you a very important lesson.” He said sternly. The skateboard let out a smug chuckle.

“Haha, yeah, that the customer is always-“ he didn’t finish his sentence, as Mr. Gar suddenly snatched him and held him up.

**“WE’RE ALL OUT OF WHEEL POLISH!”** He yelled, his voice booming through the bodega. **“SORRY WE CAN’T HELP YOU! THANK YOU FOR SHOPPING AT GAR’S!”** Skylar watched with wide eyes at the scene before her, seeing the skateboard now dazed in Gar’s hands. Enid’s jaw dropped in pure amazement, clearly having expected this to go differently. Mr. Gar had a simple smile on his face, but his eyes held smugness as he turned to look at Enid.

“Enid, finish helping this customer.” He said. “I believe he was on his way out.” Enid got the hint and smiled.

“Yes, sir!” She said determinedly, leaping over the counter. Mr. Gar positioned himself in front of the doors, while Enid stomped her foot and lined herself up with the skateboard man still in Gar’s hand.

“Have a punch-tastic day! BYE!” She hollered. The last word came out of her mouth in a ball of fire, colliding with the skateboard and sending him flying out the doors. Skylar listened to him scream until there was a small explosion, followed by silence. Her face had gone pink again, staring at Enid with stars in her eyes while still hiding behind the shelf. Enid warily approached Mr. Gar, who now had his back to her as he had watched the skateboard man leave.

“Uh, Mr. Gar, I-“ she tried again, but was still cut off.

“Enid, remember this.” He told her. “The customer isn’t always right. And you have the strength to say so. A true hero needs to be brave enough to look at someone head on before rolling their eyes at them.” Skylar listened to his words carefully, taking in what he said just as much as Enid was.

“The counter is power.” He continued. “Own it!” Enid headed back behind the register, and for the first time, put her feet up on the counter like she didn’t care. It was a much different attitude than what Skylar had seen from her before, which only made her admiration greater.

“Well dang.” She thought aloud. Her voice caught both Mr. Gar and Enid’s attentions, causing them to turn and face her. She soon realized they noticed her, so she stepped out into the main aisle.

“Uh, I’m not gonna get blasted out of the store like that, am I?” She asked, chuckling somewhat. She was half joking, but a small part of her was actually worried.

“Oh hey, Skylar!” Mr. Gar said in a suddenly friendly tone. “Didn’t see you there. Sorry about the noise, just had to deal with a customer.” 

“Oh don’t worry, he had it coming.” Skylar replied, walking over to him. “I was honestly gonna tell you off if you had sided with him. He was the real, how did he put it? Snotty-caroni and cheese.” Mr. Gar chuckled and gave her a pat on the shoulder, which Enid raised her eyebrows at.

“Don’t worry, I know a jerk customer when I see one.” He said to Skylar. “So what brings you to the bodega, anyways?” Skylar paused for a moment, as the whole fiasco had made her completely forget why she was there in the first place.

“Oh! I was looking for a water bottle.” She said quickly. “Hold up a sec.” She raised one hand, and the sound of a fridge door opening and closing could be heard from the other side of the store. Shortly after, a bottle of cold water came floating over the shelves, landing neatly in Skylar’s open hand. 

“There we go!” She said, happy to finally have what she needed. Mr. Gar looked impressed.

“You’ve really mastered that since I last saw ya!” He said. Skylar smiled.

“Yup, Carol’s taught me well.” She said. Mr. Gar froze for a moment, glancing through the window at something before turning back to her.

“Well, keep up the good work, kid.” He said. He gave her one final pat before he walked down an aisle and through a door at the back, leaving her alone with Enid.

“Wow, I’ve never seen Mr. Gar be so nice to anyone like that.” Enid piped up. Skylar’s gaze turned to her, and she immediately felt her face go hot again.

“Oh yeah, uh, he’s honestly only like that with me because I train with Carol at the dojo.” She explained awkwardly. “He’s real sweet on her.”

“Heh, never expected a guy like him to have a soft side.” Enid said nonchalantly. “So, will that be all?” Skylar looked up at her, seeing the same soft smile from when she entered. Her mind flashed with the memories from before, showing her a small girl in a blue sweater with the same hair and face. It didn’t take her long to put it together, realizing that the girl from her memory and Enid were one and the same.

“Uh, you okay?” Enid’s voice cut through her mind, dragging her back to the present. She was giving her a weird look, causing Skylar to go red in the face. 

“O-Oh! Yeah, yeah that’s everything.” She said quickly. She rummaged through her pocket for money, pulling out a ten techno bill and setting it on the counter.

“Dude, it’s only two for the water.” Enid told her. Skylar froze in embarrassment, retracting the bill before she decided to set it back down. 

“You know what, keep the change.” She told her. Enid blinked in surprise, but before she could speak, Skylar turned and left. She made her way back down the path to the dojo, trying to remain calm as there were other people outside. When she finally got back, Carol was waiting patiently for her and was thankfully understanding to why she was gone so long. They soon got back to training, however it was clear that Skylar wasn’t focused, her mind wandering elsewhere instead.

“Skylar? Everything alright?” Carol asked, snapping the hybrid back to reality. She had zoned out in the middle of a high kick, which left her leg hanging in the air.

“Oh, uh...yeah, I’m good.” She replied sheepishly, lowering her leg. “Just...not as focused.” Carol had a knowing look on her face, almost as if she already knew why.

“You wanna call it in early?” She suggested. Skylar nodded, an embarrassed look on her face as she rubbed the back of her neck.

“Yeah, that might be for the best.” She replied. “Sorry about all of this.” Carol chuckled, her body relaxing as she walked over and ruffled Skylar’s hair a bit.

“Don’t worry about it, kiddo.” She told her. “I can tell you’ve got other priorities. I’ll see you next week then?” Skylar nodded with a smile, gathering her things and saying goodbye before heading out the door to the bus stop. The entire ride home, all she could think about was Enid, her memory going back to all the times she’d seen her in middle school. Most of the hybrid’s memories were seeing her with Elodie, which left a nervous feeling in her stomach. Were they still friends? Enid had stood up to Elodie for her, but that didn’t mean they weren’t still friends. Skylar felt her anxiety spike, hopping off the bus as it arrived at her stop and briskly walked back home.

_‘Wait, why am I getting so anxious about this?’_ She thought suddenly as she walked into her house and headed for her room. _‘I haven’t talked to Enid since middle school. Why would-..?’_ Her thoughts trailed off as she opened her bedroom door, stopping in the doorway. Red face, stammered speech, constantly thinking or worrying about her...she was crushing on Enid.

“Oh no.” 

Who might also be friends with Elodie.

“Oh _no.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! Thank you to all who have stuck around this long, I greatly appreciate your patience! Part two will be up by tomorrow, and I’d love to hear feedback on these chapters! Thanks again for staying with me!


	6. New Hires, Old Memories (Part 2)

Skylar spent the rest of the night worrying, planning on how to talk to Enid tomorrow without sounding like a complete weirdo. She went over various lines and scenarios in her head, but no matter how many she practiced, her anxiety never settled. She almost couldn’t fall asleep that night, waking up later than intended and missing the morning bus.

“Shoot!” She hissed, jumping out of bed. She scrambled to put on her usual outfit, but ended up stopping herself instead. If she was going to talk to Enid, she needed to look presentable first. She opened her closet and began rummaging through what she had, pulling out some options that she liked and seeing what worked.

“Skylar? You up?” Fawkes’ voice suddenly called outside her door. Still being in her pyjamas, the young hybrid went over and opened it, peering out to see her father.

“Yep.” She replied simply. “Is there something you need?” 

“Just to make sure my little girl is okay.” He replied, sounding concerned. “You overslept the bus, you know.” 

“Yeah, I know.” Skylar replied in an embarrassed tone. “I’m just...trying to figure out something to wear.” Fawkes looked confused for a moment, as this was not a normal response.

“Do you want some help deciding?” He asked. Skylar paused.

“Uhh, I should be alright.” She replied. “I’ll call you if I get stuck though, okay?” Fawkes nodded, walking off afterwards with a lost-in-thought expression. Skylar chose to ignore it and went back into her room, closing the door as she went back to looking over her outfits. She had never been one to buy fancy clothes, but she did have some things other than her hoodie and jean shorts. Eventually, she managed to scrape something together; a purple crop top that fell over her left shoulder, black mid-length leggings, a light blue skirt, and a simple black choker. She looked herself over once, and despite still feeling anxious, also felt put together for the first time in a while.

“Well, at least I don’t look like a homeless kid now.” She muttered, tying her hair back and heading out of her room. Her father was busy in his study, so Skylar went to the front door, grabbed her purple shoes this time, and headed out of the house. She walked to the bus station and hopped aboard, paying the fee and heading back to Lakewood Plaza. As she stepped off, a few plaza regulars looked at her in surprise, but thankfully, none of them said anything. 

_‘Okay, keep your cool, keep your cool.’_ Skylar repeated in her head, slowly making her way to the bodega. She fiddled with the sleeve of her shirt, stopping outside the doors and looking through the window. Enid was leaning back, feet up on the counter, seeming uninterested in anything around her. Instead of the ponytail she had yesterday, she had put her hair up in a bun and her red boots were replaced by sturdy brown ones. Skylar felt her anxiety spike again, almost turning on her heel and running off. 

“No, no, you need to talk to her.” She muttered, forcing herself to stay put. “Besides, she’s your age. It’s not weird to talk to someone your age.” She fixed her ponytail and adjusted her bangs, and after taking a deep breath, walked into the store. Enid looked up from her phone, seeming bored at first until she noticed who it was.

“Oh hey.” She said, sitting up. “You look different.” Skylar froze, a blush dusting her cheeks as her heart started racing again.

“Oh, y-yeah!” She stammered. “I, uh, wanted to try something new.” She was struggling to make eye contact, her anxiety starting to get the better of her. Enid looked confused.

“You alright?” She asked, tilting her head. Skylar fiddled with her shirt sleeve again, having to take a breath to compose herself. She opened her mouth to speak, but something interrupted her before words could come out.

** _BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!_ **

The iconic alarm rang out through the bodega, causing Skylar to flinch. Enid straightened up in alarm, looking around in panic at the red flashing lights.

“What the heck is that?!” She cried. Skylar turned to her in confusion, her anxiety seeming to vanish as the alarm became her primary focus.

“It’s the Boxmore alarm.” She explained. “It means the plaza’s under attack. Come on.” She turned and headed out the door, running into the parking lot with Enid in tow. A large purple vortex had opened in the clouds, and through it, a massive box came crashing down into the parking lot. The ground shook with the impact and as soon as it settled, the sides fell open to reveal a bright orange robot within.

“Greetings, Lakewood losers!” She spoke, her voice feminine. “Shannon here to destroy your crummy plaza!” Skylar was ready to fight, but Enid looked terrified.

“Hold up, we have to fight robots too?!” She shouted. Skylar glanced back at her.

“How long have you been working here exactly?” She asked. Before Enid could answer, the sound of whirring caught both of their attentions and they turned to see Shannon rushing at them with saw blades instead of hands. Skylar was quick to duck out of the way, moving to the side to avoid Shannon’s attack. Enid jumped and was suddenly engulfed in a cloud of smoke, leaving Shannon to slice aimlessly through the smog. A loud ‘CHOP’ could be heard, but instead of slicing Enid, Shannon’s blades had chopped up a small log of wood that clattered to the pavement in pieces.

“Hey!” Shannon complained. “That’s a cheap trick!” Another puff of smoke appeared by Skylar’s side with Enid coming out of it, landing on her feet and straightening back up. She seemed more prepared for the fight now, and Skylar could even see a gleam of excitement in her eyes. The smallest blush appeared on the hybrid’s cheeks, and without quite thinking, she spoke up.

“Hey, you wanna see something cool?” She called, catching Enid’s attention. Without even getting an answer, Skylar slowly brought her hands up, causing a rumble deep beneath the pavement. Through the cracks, water shot up and coiled around Shannon, crashing down at her from all directions. The orange robot wasn’t able to dodge the attack, getting hit by the rush and sent flying before crashing and skidding across the parking lot.

“Whoa!” Enid stared in awe, smiling as she watched Shannon get hit. Skylar grinned and brought the water over to her side, readying for another attack as Shannon got back to her feet.

“Grrr, you’ll pay for that!” She snapped angrily, rounding on Skylar. As she moved to attack, Enid intercepted and shot a flaming kick that Shannon barely avoided. Skylar threw some ice spikes, but Shannon dodged them and lunged, slamming into Skylar and sending both of them rolling. The whirring of saw blades was right next to Skylar’s ear now, causing her panic to spike as she brought a leg up and kicked Shannon square in the chest. The force launched her off, giving Skylar the chance to get back on her feet and catch her breath. Her stamina was still low, and unfortunately for her, she was starting to get worn out.

“Hey, over here!” Enid shouted, catching both Skylar and Shannon’s attention. “Come and get me, you bucket of bolts!” Shannon growled and charged for her, to which Enid charged back and the two collided with each other in a flurry of blades and fire. Skylar watched in a panic, not seeing any opportunity for her to jump in until there was a hard ‘THUMP’ and Enid was sent flying. She hit and rolled across the lot, and being in a vulnerable position, Shannon took the opportunity to launch one of her saw blades from her wrist right at Enid’s head.

“LOOK OUT!” Skylar screamed, her fatigue forgotten as she ran. Enid has barely gotten to her feet as Skylar shoved her aside, throwing herself in the path of the blade. She heard it slice something, her head suddenly feeling lighter as she and Enid crashed into each other and rolled across the pavement.

“You alright?” Skylar asked, quickly getting up. Enid stared at her for a second, an expression of bewilderment on her face.

“Me? What about you?” She exclaimed. “Your hair!” Skylar was beyond confused, taking a moment to reach up and feel her hair. Instead of feeling her ponytail, she felt a jagged, uneven bob cut on the back of her head. Turning around, she saw the rest of her hair now sitting in a clump in the parking lot, still held by the hair tie she put in.

“My hair!” Skylar yelled, almost forgetting the battle. Shannon laughed in a mocking tone.

“You want my opinion? I think I did you a favour!” She called. “Now I can cut up the rest of you and make it a complete look!” She cackled and raced over, but instead of reaching Skylar, a wall of ice rose between them. Shannon collided with it, stumbling back as the ice broke apart and turned into sharp spikes. Skylar stood in the middle of them, her eyes dark and her hand ready to shoot. It seemed she wasn’t playing around anymore.

“Get lost.” She growled. She closed her fist and the spikes went flying, piercing through the bot with a sickening ‘CRUNCH.’ An explosion followed, bits of metal flying across the parking lot before everything settled and went silent once more. Skylar let out a sigh as she went and picked her hair up, holding it with a mournful look in her eyes.

“Whoa...that was intense.” Enid said, walking up beside Skylar. “How did you learn to do that?” Skylar didn’t seem to notice she spoke, still looking sad about her chopped hair.

“Hello?” Enid spoke again, finally getting her attention. She looked up, confused for a moment before she processed what Enid had said. 

“Oh, that’s nothing special.” She said simply, not really thinking about the fight. “I did far worse than that on my first day. That bot was new, though. Haven’t seen something like her before.” Enid looked scared for a moment, her mind wandering, but seeing Skylar’s sad expression lessened it and she felt a pang of sympathy.

“Hey, it doesn’t look that bad.” She tried to reassure her. “Maybe you can trim it up or something.” Her statement made Skylar suddenly perk up, her sad expression vanishing.

“Oh, of course!” She said suddenly. “Mr. Logic!” Enid felt confusion wash over her, but before she could even ask, Skylar turned and headed over to a shop by one end of the plaza. The young ninja’s curiosity got the better of her, leading her to follow Skylar to the building and discover it was actually a hair salon.

“Oh.” She said. “Y’know, that makes sense.” Skylar walked in with no hesitation, prompting Enid to follow to see what would happen. 

“Hello there.” A robotic voice spoke up, catching both of their attentions. “How may I be of assistance?”

“Hey, Mr. Logic!” Skylar said happily, walking up to him. “My hair got chopped off in a fight, and I was hoping you could help clean it up and make it look nice.” 

“Affirmative.” Mr. Logic replied, to which Skylar sat down in a salon chair and let the robot get to work. She heard a small bit of buzzing that spiked her worry, but after a few minutes, Mr. Logic stepped back to reveal the new pixie cut he had given to Skylar. She stared at herself in the mirror, taking in the new look before gaining a small smile. 

“Y’know, I kinda like it!” She said. Enid seemed rather impressed.

“Yeah, it does suit you.” She added, folding her arms. Skylar looked at her and blushed, rubbing the back of her neck.

“Heheh, thanks!” She managed. “That...means a lot.” Enid looked confused by her statement, to which Skylar realized she hadn’t even talked to Enid about the whole situation.

“O-Oh! That’s right.” She said, getting to her feet. “Okay, this is gonna sound really weird, but...do you remember a small girl, pale skin, long purple and blue hair? She would’ve gone to middle school with you.” Enid paused to think it over, taking a second as she dug through her memory.

“Hmm...oh yeah, I think remember her.” She replied at last. “She wore an oversized hoodie, right? I don’t remember her name, though.”

“Skylar.” She filled in the blank for her. “That girl...was actually me.” Enid had a look of surprise, taking in Skylar’s appearance quickly before her memory kicked in and she saw the similarity.

“Oh yeah, I thought you looked familiar!” She said. “You kept to yourself a lot, right?”

“Yeah, I did.” Skylar rubbed the back of her neck in embarrassment. “I had wanted to talk to you more, but you were always with Elodie, and...well, she and I never got along.” Enid’s expression changed and she looked down at the mention of Elodie, which Skylar quickly noticed. 

“Sorry, did I say something wrong?” She asked. Enid turned her gaze back up to Skylar.

“Huh? Oh no, I just...haven’t heard that name in a long time.” She replied, shaking her head. Skylar looked confused.

“Wait, weren’t you guys friends?” She questioned, tilting her head. Enid tensed.

“...Not anymore.” She said lowly. Skylar caught that tone quick, having heard dark tones often.

“Well, that is a relief!” She exclaimed, catching Enid completely off guard. “I was worried for a second there!”

“Wait, what?!” Enid looked at her in bewilderment, to which Skylar gave her a grin.

“Enid, I can’t even _begin_ to tell you how much I hate Elodie.” She said. “Honestly, it was thanks to you I was able to get away from her! Don’t you remember?” Her words caused Enid to stop, having to dig deeper through her memory before she remembered the moment.  
~~~~~~  
_Enid strolled through the hall of the school, looking around in search of her best friend Elodie. The two had planned on meeting up, but Enid wasn’t able to find Elodie anywhere._

_“HEY!”_

_A sudden yelp made Enid turn around. That was Elodie’s voice, and she sounded like she was in trouble. Enid quickly moved to follow the voice, readying herself to help her-_

_“Ugh, can you be any clumsier?!”_

_“I-I’m sorry, it just slipped!”_

_Wait, that wasn’t right. Elodie was...yelling at someone? Enid walked down the hall and turned the corner, finding her best friend towering over a small girl with long purple hair. The girl was picking up some books she had dropped while Elodie tapped her foot impatiently, arms folded and a stern look on her face._

_“You’re lucky I’m nice!” Elodie snapped. “Anyone else at this school would hurt much more than just your feelings!” The girl let out a whimper and scrambled to gather the items, only fumbling even more. Enid gasped at the sight, stepping up and stomping her foot._

_“Elodie, what the heck are you doing?!” She yelled. Both Elodie and the girl looked up at her, the former looking scared while the latter had tears in her eyes._

_“E-Enid, I-I can explain!” Elodie tried desperately, but the young ninja wasn’t having it._

_“You shouldn’t make someone carry your stuff around for you, let alone yell at them for dropping it!” She told her. “Look at her! She’s crying!” The girl was curled up, still holding Elodie’s stuff as tears started rolling down her cheeks._

_“I, erm...alright, fine.” Elodie said in defeat. “Skylar, I’ll take my books.” Skylar glanced nervously between the two as Elodie held her arms out, but after a moment, she shakily got to her feet and handed the books to the blonde. _

_“Right then, I shall...put these away.” She said, trying to keep some of her pride. Enid opened her mouth to protest, but Elodie had already turned and stalked off. Enid sighed in annoyance, turning back to Skylar with a concerned expression. _

_“Hey, you okay?” She asked. Skylar stared at her with wide eyes, but she nodded her head slowly._

_“Y-Yeah...thanks.” She said at last, wiping her eyes with her sleeve. Enid smiled softly. _

_“Don’t mention it.” She replied. “Here, let me-“ before she could finish her sentence, Skylar let out a yelp of panic and suddenly scampered off, leaving Enid alone._

_“W-Wait!” Enid tried, but she was already gone. The sound of shoes clicking came behind her, and turning around, she saw Elodie was back._

_“So, off to the crater, then?” She said, seeming cheerful as if nothing happened. Enid looked at her hesitantly, glancing back down the hall before she sighed and shrugged._

_“Y-Yeah...I guess so.”_  
~~~~~~  
The memory felt like a slap in the face. She didn’t know how she’d forgotten that, nor why she let Elodie off the hook so easily. It made her angry, but she worked to keep a cool head.

“Aw corn, I remember now.” She admitted. “I can’t believe I didn’t see how awful she was sooner.”

“You and next both, Enid.” Skylar said with a chuckle. “Don’t worry about it, though. It’s in the past!” Her attitude actually helped Enid relax, even earning a small smile from her.

“ENID!” A gruff voice cried out, causing both girls to jump. “WHERE ARE YOU?! YOU’RE STILL ON THE CLOCK!”

“AH! C-Coming, Mr. Gar!” Enid called back. Skylar calmed herself down before a smile crept onto her face.

“Well then, guess our chat’s gonna have to wait.” She joked. Enid looked back at her.

“Well, if you’ve got a phone, I can text you.” She suggested. “It’s not every day I meet someone who can kick butt and also hates Elodie.” Skylar’s face heated up once more, but she was quick to pull out her phone.

“O-Oh, sure!” She stammered, unlocking it and handing it to Enid. The cashier was quick to put her number in, sending a message to herself that made her phone buzz in her pocket. 

“There we go.” She said with satisfaction, handing the phone back. “Text you later, Skylar!” Before the hybrid could even speak, Enid vanished in a puff of smoke and left her alone in the salon. It took her a moment to snap back to reality, as her brain hadn’t quite processed that she now had Enid’s number.

“Oh my cob, that really just happened.” She muttered.

“Indeed it did.” Mr. Logic’s voice piped up from behind her, startling her. “You two seem to collaborate well together.” Skylar turned to look at him, seeing him sweeping up the rest of her hair with an innocent smile on his face. The sight of it helped her calm down, the ghost of a smile tugging at her lips.

“Yeah...I guess we do.” She said at last. “Well, guess it’s about time I head home.” As she headed out of the salon and back through the plaza, she noticed many of the civilians eyeing the debris and slowly melting ice in the middle of the parking lot. She turned her gaze away and went around the wreckage, heading for the bus stop as quickly as she could without drawing attention. As she sat down at the bus stop, she felt a buzzing in her skirt pocket and pulled her phone out to see Enid had sent her a text.

(So, what’s your reason for hating Elodie?)

Skylar stared at the message for a moment before opening her phone and starting her reply, the smallest smile on her face.

(Oh, where do I begin?)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for reading, you have officially reached the end of Arc One Before Canon! The next arc will be known as Canon Rewritten and be broken up by seasons. I hope you guys enjoyed this and will stick around for more, it means the world to me!


End file.
